The Priests' Code
A SECRET KEPT FOR MILLENNIA EXPOSED AS NEVER BEFORE
Based upon years of exhaustive historical research and onsite exploration, the many legends of Rennes-le-Château in France, and the surrounding towns and villages, are exposed as never before. Alongside cryptic clues and covert connections found in a Cotswold church, readers are taken on the journey of a lifetime!
Benoît Balthis, a French Catholic priest and translator working in the Cotswolds, thinks his latest commission is just another interesting distraction. He is wrong! Parchments relating to the time of Christ, and entries written in an old journal, draw him into a world of secrets, lies and murder. Together with his historian cousin, Caro, Benoît returns home to France, and the hill-top village of Rennes-le-Château, once inhabited by the infamous Abbé Bérenger Saunière and the messages he left behind, more than one hundred years earlier.
Faced with danger and deceit, the familiar surroundings reveal codes hidden in plain sight about the origins of Christianity, and possibly the greatest conspiracy of all time!
This ground-breaking novel de-codes ancient messages that have defeated best minds across the world. Touching the very roots of humanity, it explores new avenues of thought, and suggests theories that have, until now, remained concealed.
A MUST READ FOR LOVERS OF CONSPIRACY THRILLERS, THE CRUSADES, AND TRUTH-SEEKERS EVERYWHERE
The Man from Carcassonne
The Man from Carcassonne is dark psychological fiction at its best, combining charismatic characters with atmospheric settings, to reveal the secret world of a psychopath. Set in the cities of Carcassonne, Toulouse, and Paris, the story follows the life of fractured child, Hugo, as he becomes a man; his psyche twisted by events over which he has little control. With echoes of Patrick Süskind's Perfume, this dark novel is far more than the usual multiple-murder thriller. Duval writes with unashamed frankness about the depravity of the human condition, refusing to be silenced and drawing the reader into a desperate world where justice is everything, no matter the price.
The Man from Carcassonne will appeal to readers interested not only in the act of murder and the psychopath that commits it, but in the often-untold tale of human frailty that lies beneath.
Volume two to follow.
The Interloper
POWERFUL, COMPELLING, WITH A MIND-BLOWING CONCLUSION!
A hilltop village in Southwest France. The view is idyllic, and to an outsider, the lives lived there are too…
Suffering from mental illness since a child, retired Russian scientist, Karolis Dante Valentin, spends his days crafting puppets under the watchful eye of Dr Yves Chéron, who ponders upon his own solitary life. Father Gabriel wants no more than to stay in his beloved church, whilst the mayor, Robert Rousseau, seeks harmony in all things. Clémentine Laffitte spies from her château tower, and local farmer, Lavigne, tends his vines, which produce the earthy wine that sustains them all.
Together they weave a rich tapestry of life, but things are rarely what they seem…
The Interloper gives a vivid portrayal of human frailty, the complexity of friendships and relationships, the interconnectedness of all things, and the delicate balance held by love, fate, and an ever-ticking clock.
HAUNTING… ONCE READ, NEVER FORGOTTEN!
Mr Gupta's Hardware Store
Set in 70s suburban London, the hardware store is the apple of Mr Gupta’s eye, and he craves Englishness as much as his wife, Meera, opposes it. She longs for home, India, although the issue of home becomes more complex as time goes on. Just where is it, and once uprooted can one ever truly belong anywhere? Chandu and Babita have their own battles to fight, and together the four become bound to a destiny over which they have little control...
By writing bird’s-eye observations of people’s lives and believing that the minutiae, the small things that occur often without note, are equally as important and life changing as huge catastrophic events, Karla sets out with passion and skill to bring them to light. Tugging at every known emotion, the reader is transported both around the world and through time, to share and be a part of something that will never be forgotten.
The House of Rani Kapur
Delhi, 1947... Welcome to The House of Rani Kapur, where nothing is as it seems, and everything is as it should be. A house where dreams are made, betrothals brokered, and hearts mended; a house where anything is possible if the belief is there and faith kept. Watched over by Harish Hope, George, and Parvati the golden goddess, visitors are drawn like moths to a flame to add to the diversity already found inside.
Brutally attacked during the riots of Partition, fifteen-year-old Rani is rescued from a ditch and taken to the house, where her future will be decided when she comes of age. Should she stay to play her part as many have done before her, or choose another life altogether, and leave the safety of its walls and the people who live within them?
Magic awaits all those ready to receive it. Welcome to The House of Rani Kapur...
Harish Hope and the Earls of Wishanger Hall
The merry-go-round of life continues, but a decision to change one’s attitude can change everything...
After a lifetime of stories about his ancestors in England, Wishanger Hall, and the lost title that goes with it, Harish Hope Jnr finally confronts his usurper, with his closest friend, Delilah, by his side. Meera Gupta has dreams of her own, as does her brother Manju, shaken by a chance encounter that could alter his life forever. Newcomer, Mo Meghani, enters the world of the hardware store with consequences beyond his wildest dreams, and Chandu strikes out on a new path after the loss of his wife, Babita.
In India, Fathers Ryan and Malachy take time to reflect, as does Rani Kapur after a shocking revelation comes to light.
Meanwhile the fortune teller continues to sit in the marketplace, sharing his wisdom with all those who need to hear it.
The Fortune Teller of Delhi
The Fortune-Teller of Delhi has been coming to the marketplace for decades, but just who is he, and where is he from? Other regulars, Manju and Rajinder, discuss their future happiness under the watchful eye of Sagar, the proprietor of the best coffee and cake shop in Delhi.
Newcomer, Jahan, sells his mysterious potions to all those desiring change, yet is fearful of change himself. His uncle and the best marriage-maker in the city, Ranga Ranganathan, considers his retirement, whilst his wife, Anita, determines to take a chance, no matter the outcome.
Friends in England have dreams of their own, although uncertainty is never far behind. Together they forge their futures, guided by wise words, courage, and a hint of magic to help them on their way.